Vacuum cleaner



s. E. LOFGREN El AL 2,203,954

vAcuuu pLEANER Filed m 12, 1938 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTORS.

w ,6. M, BY ATTO Julie 11, 1940. a. E. LOFGREN ETAL 2,203,954

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Ila 12, A1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. W )a W,

ATTO z E June 11, 1 940. a. E. LOFGREN' a: AL 2,203,954

' VACUUM CLEANER Filed lay 12, 19:3 5 Sheets-Sheet s I IN VENTORS.

M :6. W, I BY m p ATTO EY Patented June 11,1940

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Brown, Jr.,

Stamford,

Conn., assignors to Electrolux CorporatiomDovcr, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12-, 1938, Serial No. 207,532

6 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to vacuum cleaners of the socalled inside bag type.

Inthe operation of household appliances; such as vacuum cleaners, it sometimes becomes desirable to partially disassemble the machine for inspection or repair. However, external securing means for the parts of a vacuum cleaner which are exposed for ready access may scratch or mar furniture as it is pulled around the floor.

In accordance with this invention the parts of the vacuum cleaner are nested together and the securing means covered to present a smooth exterior. The securing means are made accessible by the arrangement of the parts of the machine.

What is considered to be novel and invention may be better understood by reference to the following specification and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of our improved vacuum cleaner broken away in part;

Fig. 2 is a sideview of the upper shell of the casing;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the upper shell;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the lower shell of the casing;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the two shells secured together.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the two shells secured together;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the casing with brackets secured to it for holding parts to the exterior of the casing and with the bulkheads secured within the casing;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 8 showing the front bulkhead;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 8 showing-the rear bulkhead;

Fig. 11 is a side view of the casing with the handle, end rings, and sleighs mounted on it;

Fig. 12 is a side view of a vacuum cleaner casing with the motor fan assembly and dust bag located in the casing;

Fig. 18 is an end view of the vacuum cleaner substantially vertical side walls 2|.

substantially throughout the length of the shell.

spaced longitudinally from member l3. Mounted within the vacuum cleaner unit I0 is a motor l4 driving a multistage centrifugal fan l5 for producing a flow of air. A dustseparating member l6 located within the vacuum cleaner unit l0 serves to separate from 5 the air drawn in through the cleaning tool II the entrained dust. In the operation of the vacuum cleaner unit It it is necessary to remove the dust separating member l6 periodically to empty from it the dust collected therein. This 10 may be accomplished by removing the front end cover I'I. Occasionally, it may be desirable to make a partial disassembly of the vacuum cleaner unit I0 for inspection or repair.

Vacuum cleaner unit I0 is provided with an elongated casing l8 formed with an upper semicylindrical shell l9 and a lower shell 2|) with Upper shell l9 has two flat side projections 22 extending 20 Projections 22 are adjacent the edges of the shell l9 and serve to strengthen the side walls of the casing l8. Lower shell 20 is formed with inwardly extending ribs 23 to stiffen the bottom 24. The two shells l9 and 20 are formed in stamping operations with the projections 22 in shell l9 and the stiffening ribs 23 in the bottom of shell 20. The lower edges of shell l9 overlap the upper edges of the side walls 2| of shell 20.

The side walls 2| abut shoulders 25 formed adjacent to the lower edges of shell 20 as best indicated in Fig. 7. The shells l9 and 20 may be secured together along the overlapping edges by spot or line welding.

A bracket 26 is secured to each side of the casing l8 adjacent the front end, one of which isshown at the left in Fig. 8. Bracket 26 has two loops 21 which have horizontal axes. A similar bracket 28 is secured at each side of the casing It at the rear end shown at the right in 40 Fig. 8. Bracket 28 is also provided with two loops 29 having horizontal axes; An end view of the brackets 28 is shown in Fig. 10. U-shaped brackets 30 are secured to the side of the casing l8 between the ends of projections 22 and with .vertical axes. The brackets 26, 28, and 3|] are preferably secured to the casing 18 by means of spot welding. A bracket 3| is,secured to the top of the casing I8 and has .two upstanding arms 32 with horizontal slots 33. Formed integrally with the bracket 3| is aretainer 34 for a square nut. In line with the ibracket 3| and itis a. clip 35. Bracket 3| and clip 35 are secured to the casing l8 preferably by welding.

A bulkhead 36 in the form of aperforated plate is secured within the casing l8. A flange 31-is provided around the edge of the bulkhead.

36 which may be secured to the casing H! by means of welding. Bulkhead 36 performs two' functions, first it separates the casing l8 into a dust separating chamber 38 and a fan motor chamber 39, second, it reenforces the casing it. The perforations in the bulkhead 36 permit the air to pass from the dust separating chamber 38 to the fan motor chamber 39. When a cloth bag is used for the dust separating member 86, as best indicated in Fig. 1, the bulkhead 36 prevents the bag from being drawn over the opening into the fan l5 thereby preventing damage to the bag and insuring the utilization of the full area of the bag. For strengthening the bulkhead 36 radial ribs 46 are'provided. A.

second bulkhead 49 is located within thecasing l8 spaced. a short distancefrom the rear end shown at the right in Fig. 8. Bulkhead ii has a flange 42 by means of which it may be secured to the casing l8 preferably by welding. A central opening 43 is provided in the bulkhead 4i. 1 Three inwardly extending ears 44 are provided with apertures 45 to receive bolts for securing the motor H3 and fan l5 to the bulkhead 4i. Bulkhead 46 serves to reenforce the casing i8 and to support the motor fan unit.

A bracket 46 shown in dotted lines in Fig.8 is secured in the bottom of casing i8 adjacent the front end. The front end d7 of casing i8 is formed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the casing. A front end ring 48 is secured to the front end M by means'of bolts 49 which pass through the loops 2?! of brackets 26. A bolt 56 passes through bracket .46 and is threaded into engagement .with the bottom of front end ring pin 58 carried by the other end of handle 5? engages in slots 33 of bracket3i the casing l8 on a horizontal surface, sleighs 59 are provided, only one of which is shown in'Fig. 11.

. vided therefor in the front end ring 48 and rear end ring 53; L-shaped clips 66 are secured to each end of sleighs 59 and extend over projections 6i (see Fig. 13) and are secured thereto by screws 62. Front end ring 48 is provided with two. forwardly extending bosses 63 which are .adapted to enter openings in the front end cover l-l, asshown in Fig. 1, for securing the front end cover to the casing I8.

The fan l5 and motor I are secured together and inserted in the rear opening of casing Hi. The fan motor assembly'is secured to the bulkhead 4| by means of threeb'olts 65, shown in Fig. 13, which pass through the apertures 45 of ears 44. A portion of motor l4 extends outwardly For supporting.

The ends of sleighs 59 enter openings proengagement with the nut carried in retainer 34 and a strap I l in engagement with clip 35. Screw l6 iscovered by an overhanging lip 51a formed integrally with handle 57. The securing means forthe front end ring 48 and the rear end ring 53 including the brackets 26 and 28 are covered by two plates 72, one of which is shown in Fig. 12. The plates 12 are secured to the casing is by means of two spring clips 13 which are inserted through openings in the edge of plates 52 into the vertical openings of the brackets 36. Rear end ring 53 is provided with two threaded apertures l6 located at opposite sides of the ring. A housing i5- carrying switch 68 and a switch a cover 76 is secured to casing. 18 by means of two screws Eli (see Fig. 1) which are in threaded engagement with the apertures 14. Switch cover plate 36 has two forwardly extending arms 18 which cover the sides of the journals 55 and pin 56 securing one end of the handle 57. When the front end cover i7] is secured to the casing it, it encloses the forwardly extending bosses 63 by means of which it is secured to the casing.

The vacuum cleaner unit it may be assembled in the following sequence of operations:

The upper shell l9 and the lower shell 26 are placed in position with edges overlapping and the top edges of the sides 25 of shell 26 engagingthe shoulders 25 of shell H9. The two shells are welded together along the overlapping edges. The brackets 36 with the vertical openings are secured to the casing i8 adjacent each end of the projections 22. The brackets 36 are preferably secured by spot welding. The perforated bulkhead 36 is secured within the casing by spot welding along the flange 3?. The bulkhead 4B is positioned within the rear end of casing i6 and secured thereto, at least in part, by line welding along the flange 42. We have found it desirable to use line welding in securing the bulkhead 48 to the upper shell l9. However, due to the relatively irregular configuration of the shell 26, we have found it preferably to use spot welding along the side walls 2! and spot welding and soldering along thebottom 2d. The brackets 26 and 28 are secured to the two sides of the casing adjacent the front and rear ends respectively. .Brackets 26 and 28 may be secured by spot welding. Brack et 36 and clip 35 are secured to the top of the casing is by spot welding. Bracket 46 is secured within casing i8 by welding. The front end ring 48 is secured along the inclined front face 4'? of the casing l6 by-means of bolts 49 and 59. The rear end ring 58 is secured to the casing It by means'ofbolts 54. The sleighs 59 are secured to the front end ring 48 and the rear end ring 53 by inserting the free. ends in the openings provided therefor and threading the screws 63 through the apertures provided inthe clips 66. The handle 5Iis secured to the journal extension 55 by pin 56 and to bracket 3| by pin 58.

The motor l4 and fan l5 are assembled together then secured within the casing I8 by bolts 64 passing through apertures 45 provided in ears 44- of bulkhead 4|. The securing means for the front end of handle 51 is covered by handle cover 69. Handle cover 69 is secured to the casing I 8 by engagement of transverse strap 'H with clip 35 and screw 16. Slide plates 12, for covering the securing means for the front end ring 48 and the rear end ring 53,are positioned over the securing means and the projections 22. The side plates 12 are then secured to the casing "16 by means of clips 13 inserted through the vertical openings of brackets 36. The rear end housing 15 together with switch 68 and switch cover plate 16 is secured to the casing l8 by means of screws 11. The switch cover plate 16 covers the securing means of the rear of handle 51. The dust separating member I6 is inserted in-the dust separating compartment 38 and secured therein by front end cover 11. The assembly of the vacuum cleaner unit It) is then completed.

If it is desired to partially or wholly disassemble the vacuum cleaner unit l0, it is simply necessary to remove the covering of the securing means to which access is desired. If it is desired to remove the front end ring 48 or the rear end ring 53, the side plates 12 are removed by removing the clips I3. Similarly, if it is de sired to remove the handle 51, the handle cover 69 is removed by unscrewing the screws HI and the rear end housing 15 is removed by unscrewing the screws 11. Access to the motor l4 may be obtained simply by removing the rear end housing 15; as pointed out above. By this arrangement, it is possible to remove any part of the vacuum cleaner unit [0 for inspection or repair and during operation the securing means for the various parts are'covered and exposed sharp corners and rough edges are completely eliminated.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a substantially cylindrical casing open at each end, two reinforcing rings extending around the exterior of said casing at each end, means for securing said rings to said casing located on opposite sides of said casing, and a plate detachably secured to each side of said casing for covering the securing means for both of said rings.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a substantially cylindrical casing open at each end, a plurality of brackets secured to the exterior of said casing at each end, reinforcing rings located at opposite ends of said casing, means securing said rings to said brackets, and detachable means covering said brackets and said securing means, whereby a smooth exterior is presentedwithout 4. In a vacuum cleaner, a substantially cylindrical two-part casing, means to secure said two-parts together at opposite sides, projections from the sides of said casing for strengthening the side walls of the casing, brackets secured to the opposite sides of said casing at each end,

rings surrounding said casing at opposite ends,

means to secure said rings to said brackets, and

plates removably secured to said casing covering the joint of said bottom and top,.said projections, said brackets, and said ring securing means whereby a smooth exterior is presented.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a substantially cylindrical casing, brackets secured to the sides of said casing at opposite ends, reinforcing rings extending around the opposite ends of said casing, means to secure said rings to said last-named brackets, and plates removably secured, to the sides, of said casing covering said brackets and said ring securing means, whereby projecting parts secured to the exterior of said casing are covered to present a smooth exterior.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a substantially cy lindrical casing open at each end, a reinforcing ring extending around the exterior of. said casing, means for securing said ring to said casing located on opposite sides of said casing, and'a plate detachably secured to each side of said casing for covering the securing means for said ring.

GUS'I'AF EHNAR IDFGREN. CHARLES L. BROWN, JR. 

